Not that things aren’t great, because they are, but the coin has flipped. It’s what the coin likes to do. Matthew and his staff are in Atlanta for a children’s and families conference and so it’s the kids and I on one end of the Skype phone call while he is the solo being on the other end in a quiet room.

I’m balancing work (ish) and Scholastic book fairs and packed lunches and morning hair tangles and making sure my boys make it out of the house in pants and that I make it out of the house fully clothed and in my right mind and cooking dinners and making sure home readers are read and feeding/watering the chickens and collecting eggs and feeding/running the dogs and feeding/letting the cats IN AND OUT ONE HUNDRED TIMES A DAY and washing/drying/putting away laundry and practicing for talent shows and cuddling on the couch and making sure my kids brush their teeth and go pee before bed and reading to them before bed and praying with them, too, and coming downstairs to map out tomorrow.

The thing is, we’re having a lot of fun. Yes, we miss Dad (or Mr. Matt *ahem*), but Skype is kind of THE BEST THING EVER. We get face time, in addition to phone time, and everyone is happy about connecting whichever way we can. The fact that my kids are in the ‘Golden Years’ helps a lot as well.

Graham: He gives me many hugs a day, tells me he loves me, and asks how he can help. He will also tell me that I’m beautiful.

Nathan: He gives me many hugs a day, tells me he loves me, and asks how he can help. He also told me yesterday morning, “I know that it’s hard when Dad’s away.”

Emily: She gives me many hugs a day, tells me she loves me, and asks how she can help. She also says sorry about EVERYTHING, which I think she learned from me (Matthew nods YES as he reads this).

My kids get along really well, rarely fight, and have a lot of fun together. They seem to be wired to be friends, despite being siblings. (My sister once chased me around the house with a serrated knife. I did not have the same experience.)

We’re missing our anchor, but we’re drifting pretty well in the meantime. We have plans to walk and hike and explore and cuddle and it’s kind of fun to be immersed in my kids after being away for a week. I like them.

*I thought about not writing about the fact that my husband is away, but everyone in town knows that Mr. Matt is in Atlanta and has asked me about his trip so far. Also, we have an 100 pound dog who loves me despite the fact that I am not a “dog person” and will eat you for a snack. And, Matthew has a cross-bow that I know how to use. As you were.

I think the exact same thing when it comes to talking about when Corey is away. Often times I don’t, I take solice in the fact when I do though we have alarms, 2 cops on the street, a protective neighbour and I happen to rock kickboxings – AIM FOR THE NUTS!

Glad you’re surviving. And my brother one threw a fork so hard at my head it stuck in.